


The Dragon and The Bow

by a_gentle_dab



Category: Brave (2012), How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Crossover, Multiple Crossovers, Old Fic, Rise of the Brave Tangled Dragons, cannon divergence - Race to the edge, same timeline
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2020-01-27
Packaged: 2021-02-25 03:06:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 19,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22028938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_gentle_dab/pseuds/a_gentle_dab
Summary: Hiccup finds himself stranded in Scotland unknowingly bringing Berk's ongoing war with Dagur with him. Finding enemies on all sides, his alliance with Merida and his ingenuity might be the the only things keeping him alive.
Relationships: Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III & Merida (Disney)
Kudos: 9





	1. Berk

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome. This is an old fic that I never gave a home. I'm not sure how many people still follow this crossover (I kinda missed the curve lol) but I feel if there is anyone out there they might appreciate a new fic anyway.  
> Enjoy.

Part 1: Beast in the Woods

Hiccup pulled the leather strap tight. He put his hand between the strap and Toothless’s scales. Satisfied with the tautness, he slapped his hands together, smacking the dirt right onto the floor to signify he had completed his work. Hiccup had Toothless’s lightest saddle on. Two brown saddle bags straddled the ebony reptile just behind his wings with the makings of a tent strapped atop of them. Toothless snorted and stomped his feet on the ground. His tail swished stiffly under the bindings. 

“I thought I fixed that! Wait a second bud.” Hiccup ran forward removing the tent and bags constricting the dragon. 

In doing so they came off in a tangled heap. He dropped to the floor sitting cross-legged as he examined the belts and hooks. Toothless meanwhile stretched his back and shook the stiffness out of his muscles. His human companion was deeply enthralled by his contraption so Toothless trotted over to a woven basket and checked if the fish smells would turn up anything useful. His tail caught Hiccup above the eye as it flicked about in excitement.

“Hey watch it you useless creature!” Hiccup yelped and rubbed the growing red mark above his brow.

Toothless grunted, unthreatened by the boy. He stuffed his head into the basket to yield no results. It was useless so Toothless flung the basket at his partner before retreating to the rafters. Hiccup gave another shout of surprise and threw a leather belt at the dragon. The metal buckle struck him in the leg just sharp enough to catch his attention. Toothless looked at his friend his pupils dilated in curiosity. Rearing for something other than standing around the dragon cooed playfully at Hiccup. The brunette ignored him and was looking out the window at the rising sun. Toothless heard a drawn out, defeated sighed.

“Time to eat I guess.” Hiccup said defeated. 

“Eat” was one of Toothless’s favorite words of all the ones humans babbled out of their mouths daily. So, he didn’t waste a second to scramble to the floor, butting into Hiccup who was more forgiving with the night fury’s antics than he should be. At that moment the door opened and the large frame of Stoick forced his way into the room. It was a struggle getting through a door that was a little too small for his size. Hiccup stiffened, his eyes darted to the pile of travel supplies and back at his father.

Hiccup awkwardly half performed several different hand motions “I just- You know- yeahIgottagoseeya”

Hiccup’s father straightened his helmet and tunic “Hiccup.”

“Dad I just- I’m not running away” Hiccup paused “forever”

“Hiccup” Stoick asserted.

“I just need some space-“

“ _ Hiccup _ !” Stoick had a firmness in his voice that captured Hiccups attention. Taking Hiccup’s shoulders in his beefy hands and more gently said to his boy’s surprise “I’m not stopping you.”

“You’re not?” Hiccup cocked a brow “Are you sure or is this a trick?”

“I’m not stopping you _ if _ you are prepared and take the right steps.” Stoick gently shook his shoulders but gentle for Stoick sent Hiccup’s head whipping back and forth. The brunette rubbed his neck, muttering something about him having a higher chance of being killed on the island than on this trip, “I want you to speak with Gothi.” 

Hiccup groaned at the thought of visiting the old women and knowing his dad probably paid her off to predict his death if he leaves. 

“I’m serious son.” That stern tone was back but Hiccup just looked at his father with a flippant attitude he wore when he lost all interest in a conversation.

“Great I’m going to have my life written out before me in the dirt just so you can keep me locked on this island.” Hiccup said dryly.

Stoick allowed a hand to remove itself from Hiccup’s shoulders to rub his forehead “What has gotten into you? You’re insulting the town elder now too?”

Hiccup herd the disapproval in his father’s voice but Hiccup swallowed his emerging guilt and stuck his chin up “You were never opposed to this before. Why are you after me now? What’s changed?”

“Hiccup Dagur has dragons now and a tribe again! We are at war!” Stoick stared into Hiccup’s eyes held him so tight Hiccup sucked in a shallow breath and bit back a whimper. “They aren’t playing nice Hiccup, they’ll kill you!”

Hiccup knew too well, his will faltered and he dropped his chin “They kill anyone they catch.”

“Yes but you still know things they don’t and they will find a way to get it out of you.” Stoick relaxed his grip on Hiccup and dropped his gaze.

“Fine.”

Stoick looked up with hope in his eyes “You will speak with her?”

Hiccup rose his right hand and put his left hand over his heart and with a slight roll of his eyes said “I solemnly swear that I will speak with Gothi”

Hiccup smiled at his father to reassure him he was serious. At that moment Toothless tried to worm past Stoick, something behind the door caught his attention.

“Oh, um right, I got the feeling that you wouldn’t have fed Toothless yet.” Stoick didn’t need to point out the tangled mass of leather across the room. He stood up right and straightened his helmet again then stepped aside for the dragon. 

“You waited till now to interrupt?” Hiccup hissed at Toothless and Stoick shot him a suspicious glare.

Toothless clambered past Stoick forcing his head into the basket so quickly that fish ruptured out the bottom. Loud, wet, smacking sounded throughout the house as Toothless ravenously worked through the fish

“Have you been starving him?” Stoick rubbed his beard amused.

“No I think Toothless is looking to do anything other than standing around while I attempt to attach a small house to his back.” Hiccup smirked but his humor died when he saw the mess on the floor.

“Have you eaten son?” Stoick pulled salted pork and bread from a satchel at his waist.

Hiccup just grabbed a hunk of bread and forced what would fit into his mouth and went to detangle the mound of leather on the floor. Stoick didn’t seem to care about Hiccup’s table manners or his lack of table manners and cut a more civilized piece for himself.

“I returned from patrol. We saw one of Dagur’s ships going after a Scaldron and went in for an attack but a Nadder division beat us to it.” Stoick saw Hiccup pause from attempting to pry the tangled mess apart. “In fact it was Astrid’s group and they took out their ships with ease. Apparently there was a whole cargo of captured dragons in there. It’s a surprise the ship was still floating at all with all those beasts in the hold.”

Hiccup looked at his father and said something but Hiccup’s mouthful of bread rendered his speech incomprehensible. Before Hiccup could swallow Stoick said “She is an hour behind me, you can go to Gothi’s together.”

Hiccup deflated at the mention of Gothi but Stoick couldn’t deny the anticipation flickering in Hiccup’s eyes. Stoick cut himself a ration of pork and went to the door.

“I will have to go out again today but I’ll be back before supper.” Stoick stopped at the door and turned back “I want to see you at supper Hiccup.” Stoick allowed the full force of his severity to back the last statement. He smirked when Hiccup visibly flinched. “See you later.”

“Yeah, see ya.” Hiccup managed and let his shoulders drop after the door closed behind his father.

Hiccup pulled at the pile of leather cursing his luck. After many agonizing minutes he gave up. Hiccup sighed, half-heartedly questioned his point in life then left for the pier. Toothless had decimated the basket, pleased with himself he rolled about in the grass and licking his lips and smearing fish oil over his scales. Hiccup clucked at Toothless who perked his ears and looked at Hiccup. He rolled onto his feet and followed Hiccup down the road occasionally nudging the boy in the back or legs. In response Hiccup would playfully swat at the night fury’s nose only to miss as he bounded out of reach. The pair reached the wooden ramps that were hammered into the cliff face. Hiccup sat hanging his feet over the side of the wooden walkway watching the sky. Toothless curled around his friend. Keeping an eye on Hiccup who stared absentmindedly out at sea but in time Toothless warmed in the sun and allowed his eyes to close. 

Toothless snorted as Hiccup woke him. Irritated and half asleep the dragon was about to slip back into unconsciousness until the familiar clack of metal and weight on his back jolted him awake.

“C’mon bud lets stretch those wings.” He told his friend just as he finished tightening the saddle.

Toothless didn’t wait for Hiccup to properly situate himself before launching off the side of the wooden walkway at the top of the cliff. Shifting his prosthetic leg Hiccup opened the tail fin. Both rider and dragon hollered with delight as the wind whipped around them. Ahead, a formation of twelve dragons closed in, or rather the duo closed in on them. Hiccup and Toothless built incredible speed, and upon reaching the Nadders flew under them by inches, startling a young one to the rear. Even if they were out of practice, they at least appeared to effortlessly loop around and fly upside down just low enough to flick Astrid’s blond hair where she flew at the head of the triangle formation. Hiccup could tell she yelled something but it was lost in the whoosh of air when Toothless decided the new flight plan and dove for the ocean. Toothless cut broad curves over the roll and surge of ocean waves below them, allowing his wing tips to skim the water’s surface at each turn. Hiccup adjusted the tail fin for Toothless as needed to accommodate the dragon’s need to simply  _ be _ after a long day of packing. They level out after awhile and Toothless dragged his claws in the water and sprayed Hiccup with ocean mist.

“Hey! Don’t push your luck! I can turn us back around!” It was a bold lie but Hiccup just laughed, drunk on the freedom of flight. They flew further out at sea at the golden horizon. Three bolts of fire set geysers of steam hissing upward in their path “Whoa!”

Hiccup changed the fin and Toothless clumsily scrambled away from frothing water. Another geyser erupted in front of them and Hiccup veered sharply again. One more shot soared over the two and exploded fifty feet ahead. Hiccup changed the fin allowing Toothless to skyrocket upward. Hiccup flattened himself against the saddle. Toothless’s wings were pinned to his side and they let the speed carry them up. When gravity started winning out Hiccup leaned back pulling Toothless backwards into a dive. Instead, Toothless righted himself so his wings caught the air and they glided. The pair breathed heavily looking down to see a blue and gold Nadder circling below. Hiccup and Toothless gritted thier teeth and they dove. Snapping his wings open just before hitting the dragon and rider Toothless forced Astrid and her Nadder to make room. It was very rude but Hiccup at the moment had no apology to give.

“Hiccup!” Astrid was red faced with anger but her knuckles were white while she clutched Stormfly for dear life “What is wrong with you!?”

“You shot at me!” Hiccup snarled. Toothless glowered.

“You flew too far away Hiccup, and I tried to get your attention differently but you weren’t listening.” Astrid shot back. “I have to keep you safe.”

“That’s rich, really it is.” Hiccup hollered over the wind.

Astrid didn’t hear or didn’t care and ignored his attempt at picking a fight “I’ll escort you back”

Hiccup smirked as the wind died down just enough to say, “I got permission from my dad to go on that trip I wanted.”

That caught her attention “WHAT?!”

Hiccup smiled. After the shock Astrid sat tall.

“What are the conditions?” Astrid implored, she had a smile creeping across her face.

“What conditions?” Hiccup said hoping he sounded nonchalant.

“Oh, don’t try to tell me he said yes unless you had to do something first.” Astrid leaned toward Hiccup.

“I have to speak with Gothi.” Hiccup called over a sudden wind.

He and Astrid steered the dragons below the eddy but he could hear her laughter over the roar of wind “Yeah you’re not getting off this island! Your dad probably bribed her to tell you that you will die if you fly fifty feet from the cliff.”

“I’m not dead now am I? We are definitely over fifty feet away.” Hiccup huffed.

“Doesn’t matter, even if she predicts you will stub your toe walking to Toothless your dad will see it as reason enough to hold you here.” Astrid smiled at Hiccup and the tension between them before faded “You know I miss flying with you right? If I had it my way we would be doing flight practice anywhere but circumstances don’t allow that. You’re in danger Hiccup.”

“And you’re not?” Hiccup snapped the good feelings were drowning in a sea of suppressed anger. “When has a Viking ever been denied access to battle?”

“Hiccup if they caught you they would have the greatest source of dragon training knowledge around.” Astrid called to Hiccup “Also Dagur has that weird obsession with you and Toothless.”

Hiccup’s mouth pinched into a hard firm line and he refused to look at Astrid and his eyes misted over with frustrated tears. He cursed himself for being so emotional and steered Toothless away so she wouldn’t see him. Astrid’s eyes widened in shock.

“I didn’t mean it like that Hiccup!” She followed after him.

“So I’m a liability? I can’t be trusted to protect Berk’s secrets?” Hiccup glared at her. He seethed inside at the thought that they thought him less than a child that he’d betray the tribe.

“No- I” Astrid didn’t know what to say to fix it without digging a deeper hole. She felt bad that for the last ten months Hiccup had essentially been a prisoner of the tribe’s fear. Their enemy has gotten stronger and more ruthless. It wasn’t fair but she had her orders. “Let’s go to Gothi’s, perhaps she will prove everyone wrong.”

Astrid called to Stormfly and they dove and flew low over the trees. 

Hiccup patted Toothless’s neck “Let’s go figure out our fate buddy.”

The two dragons and riders lighted down in front of a small hut on a high hill. Toothless and Stormfly touched noses in greeting and apology for their and their rider’s behavior while the two teenagers approached the home of Gothi. Before they got ten feet toward the house Gothi opened the door and ushered Hiccup and Astrid in. Toothless followed after the children but Gothi slammed the thick wooden door in his face. Toothless snorted and returned to where Stormfly was sunbathing.

Inside the two of them looked around. Hiccup was never bored in Gothi’s home, there was always something to look at and the interior changed every time he came. Sometimes it would be hours and the hut would experience full scale renovations. 

“Gothi, has life treated you fine?” Astrid said cheerily and Gothi just smiled and nodded but went to retrieve something.

Astrid leaned over a pot of boiling water curiously until it burped and threw hot water at her face. She pulled back with a start.

“Astrid are you okay?” Hiccup ran to her side but she just nodded and wiped her face. It was a little red but it could have been from the water or the cold. Hiccup didn’t know but she wouldn’t tell him anyway the Viking Toughness Code forbade it. “Gothi I need a little fortune telling. My dad sent me here.”

Gothi frowned at him like he were a silly child for assuming she didn’t know. Hiccup shut up and tried to figure out how she did it but was startled when he was given a smooth white stick pulled from the bag she was digging in.

“It’s a very nice stick.” Hiccup nodded at her and gave an uncertain smile as he turned the stick in his hand.

“No stupid, it’s your fortune.” She muttered and snatched it from his hands running her fingers along the groves.

“What are  _ you _ going to do with it?” Hiccup crossed his arms.

“Read it that’s what.” She didn’t look up but she didn’t have to the edge in her voice was enough to make Hiccup gulp.

He rotated on his heel to look at something else but was surprised with a handful a sticks each about two inches long shoved into his face. He weakly smiled and took a hold of the entire pile but Gothi smacked his hand with her staff.

“Ah.” Hiccup shook the pain from his hand kitted his brows in confusion. Gothi shook her head, held up one finger then pushed the pile back into his face. Hiccup gingerly plucked a stick out it looked like a Terrible Terror crawling up a wall. He smiled “uh, thanks I always wanted a stick.”

She wacked him on the head for that. She took the stick from him and plopped it into the boiling cauldron on her way over to Astrid. Fervently Astrid read and reread the inscription. When finished she’d turn the stick over and grow frustrated then repeat the cycle. The little mute women stood there for a while watching her but tapped her shoulder after a while. Astrid jumped pulled from her reading her eyes concerned and lost.

“I don’t get it! It says nothing!” her eyes pleaded for an answer from Gothi who nodded. Astrid shook her head trying to understand “What?”

Gothi tapped the inscription.

“I can read it but don’t understand it builds to something but stops. There is nothing.” Astrid’s eyes were ridden with confusion. Gothi just nodded. “Nothing?”

She nodded again. Hiccup looked between the two while realization crawled across Astrid’s face.

“Astrid?” Hiccup asked.

“You don’t have a fate.” She said slow and purposefully, enunciating each word like she was trying to explain it to herself.

“How can you not have a fate?” Hiccup walked over to her but she was somewhere else while she rubbed her temples. Behind her eyes something was happening “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Argh, that’s not really what I meant.” She slowly massaged her thoughts back under her control and continued “Gothi can’t read you. I guess she can say nothing to your father.”

Hiccup grinned “That’s great!”

“No it’s not Hiccup, we don’t know. This could mean you die tomorrow!” Astrid faced him locking their stares.

“No, if I  _ died _ she’d read that.” Hiccup didn’t stop grinning, “There is no foreseeable danger. He doesn’t have anything to hold me here now.”

“You know that’s not what that means! When she can’t read you, it not that it won’t happen but that she can’t see it!” Astrid puffed her chest in anger when her warning didn’t reach him “This is even more reason to not let you go!” 

“This proves nothing Astrid! It isn’t a death omen it’s just bad communication.” Gothi huffed at that but Hiccup ignored it “I can’t stay here. I haven’t left the village boundaries in nine months and I haven’t been off the island by myself in ten months. I’m going stir crazy! At- at this rate I will be the most dangerous thing on this island!”

“But you’re safe Hiccup.” Astrid put a comforting hand on his shoulder “That’s what matters.”

He couldn’t bring himself to brush it off “Physically I’m safe, but I’m dying Astrid. I can only spend so much time here. My inspiration has run dry, I can’t make Toothless’s saddle, or any saddle lighter... or sturdier. I can draw the village and its people from memory perfectly. I have invented twelve catapults, three ships, improved two bows and actually figured out the composition of Gronckle Iron! I’m counting pebbles now! I need to be let out!”

“Gobber can take you out into the woods-“

“I need to be alone, no chaperones, no war, no more fear.” Hiccup stood tall “Just me and Toothless and the sky.”

Astrid just stood there and the only sound was the gurgling pot in the background. 

“And camping is really the next most riveting thing you thought of?” She joked.

Hiccup first was taken aback by her statement but they both erupted into laughter.

“It’s the best thing I can think of.” Hiccup smiled sheepishly and Astrid nodded “I meant everything I said though. I need some time to get away.”

“Yeah.” Astrid sighed.

It was non-committal but Hiccup didn’t have time to push the issue as they were being pushed out the door by Gothi.

“Okay, okay we’re going.” Hiccup stumbled over something but didn’t have time to see what as he and Astrid fell out the door on the hard dirt.

“I-I’m caught on” Astrid didn’t finish but tried to pull away but her pant leg was stuck in Hiccup’s spring.

“Oh just one second.” Hiccup compressed his leg until it clicked on a notch stretching the spring out. Astrid carefully worked the fabric free.

Hiccup bit his lip and tried to help Astrid but she smacked his hand away. He brushed his brown hair out of his eyes and leaned back on his elbows. He saw the arch of her back the flex of her muscles. She was deadly, a predator and if the Dragon war hadn’t ended she would’ve been an impressive killer and impressively out of his league. When Hiccup started to over examine the placement of her hand and her overall proximity Hiccup looked away. He wondered if Gothi foresaw this too and was silently laughing in her hut. Hiccup started feeling very awkward. 

Impatiently he waited for Astrid to finish. He didn’t need to wait long because he heard the rip of fabric and saw Astrid stuffing the shredded end of her pants into her boot looking quite satisfied. Stormfly was there to help Astrid onto her feet. She gave her dragon a hug and fed her something from a pouch on her belt.

“Hey Toothless are you gonna help me out here?” Toothless flicked an ear but he put in no more effort than that. Astrid laughed and helped Hiccup to his feet “Clearly my dragon doesn’t love me anymore.”

Toothless was unfazed and Hiccup’s shoulders sagged in mock defeat.

“He has his moments.” Astrid raised a brow. She mounted Stormfly and they walked over with Hiccup to Toothless.

“You bet he does.” Hiccup agreed. Toothless had risen by the time he got there and Hiccup jumped onto his back. “When did you learn Gothi’s gibberish?”

“It’s not gibberish, just complicated.” Astrid said “She pulled me out of training that one day remember?”

Hiccup really couldn’t remember but he didn’t want to say so. He nodded instead and she continued. Hiccup watched her and looked at her lips, he remembered when they kissed but that was a long time ago. She didn’t seem to treat him more than a friend now. He looked forward instead.

“Yeah she started to teach me in the afternoons with Bucket’s help.” Astrid shrugged like it was nothing “So here we are. I guess she foresaw it.”

Hiccup rolled his eyes “That or Bucket got tired but being dragged up the hill every ten minutes for a ‘prophecy’ or omen of some kind”

Astrid snorted but didn’t respond beyond that. It was past midday. Hiccup didn’t know how the time had passed so fast in there but it didn’t matter as they flew from the hill to the center of town together. The kiss of wind, a shared laugh, a smile were welcomed by Hiccup as he flew with Astrid. He wished it wouldn’t end. Still they landed in the town square, dismounted and let their dragons wander off. Hiccup started down to the arena with Astrid, stopping and conversing when the inspiration struck them. Astrid took the time to test an axe she saw but she disapproved of the balance of the handle. 

“It was a handsome axe” she shrugged “but it’s better left as a mantel piece.”

Hiccup tried to buy new charcoal pencils but the vendor refused to let him pay and thrust them into Hiccup’s care. The brunette boy stopped to think, he mussed his hair and rubbed his chin deliberating his choices. When the vendor turned to another customer he left something in trade and walked off before the vendor could stop him. Astrid asked why he still paid but Hiccup waved aside the question and they continued onward. The curious stares became more apparent after his stunt with the vendor. Villagers would stare transfixed by Hiccup, one woman saw him and burst into tears. 

Astrid told him her two children had died in the war already. Hiccup went to her but she fled into her home and left the teen out in the street. He had a curious sense of guilt but shook it from his mind. When he left the people snapped back to their original obligations seemingly unaware of the spell they were under. Icy winds from the north nibbled at the teens but moved along when they refused to shiver. 

It bothered some sheep in an adjacent field. Hiccup chuckled, the sheep bayed pitifully while they formed a mass of white along the fence. They approached the arena, fields melted into barren rock quite quickly as they do on Berk. He lurched and his metal foot skittered on the stone and sparked. Astrid kept going without him while he checked his leg. A ruckus from behind Hiccup alerted him to the blond siblings. Some argument or challenge must have sparked a fist fight, which now was spilling over into the arena. Hiccup once got into the middle of one of their scuffles as a kid and they ganged up on him instead. Since then, he let the twins release their violent energy on each other in peace.

The area was a uniform dull grey. Its visage broken by faded wooden doors and a fiery red Nightmare sleeping along the far wall. Snotlout stood arms crossed and rippling with muscle smirking. He moved slow but built into a trot then a run. Hiccup stepped back ready to run but he widened his stance and waited. Snotlout leapt at Hiccup yelling something but the brunette gripped Snotlout’s wrist and directed him safely over his shoulder. At least thats what should have happened if Snotlout with his quick instinct hadn’t grabbed his fur vest and turned the move back on Hiccup and left him gasping for breath on the floor.

“Wimps can’t win! When are you going to learn that?” Snotlout said like it was the simplest thing. He walked off and flexed his muscles for Astrid but called to Hiccup “Are you ready to be blown away by my dragon?”

Ruff and Tuff rode in on their dragon, tangled in each other throwing fist wildly about. Their dragon too the opportunity to raise their heads during their pass through the tunnel so the twins scrapped their helmets on the tunnel ceiling upon entering the area. It broke whatever violent spell had fallen over them and they turned their ire on someone else.

Tuff rubbed his face “You don’t mean literally right Snotlout?”

“Well, yeah of course not” Snotlout glared at the two siblings.

Astrid helped Hiccup to his feet “You did better. Before he would have flattened you.”

“I… still fell.” Hiccup struggled to control his breath.

“You still need to learn how to take a punch Hiccup.” With that she belted him in the arm and left to break up a fight that started between the twins and Snotlout.

Hiccup waited till she turned to grip his arm in pain. He rubbed the spot she hit and saw Fishlegs reading though the Dragon Manual. He didn’t notice Hiccup until after he tapped him on the shoulder. Fishlegs squeaked and clutched the book to his chest.

“Hiccup!” Fishlegs hugged the book tighter “Don’t scare me like that!”

“What’re you doing?” Hiccup check the cover again to be sure “Haven’t you read that twenty times by now?”

“Sixty-five times to be exact” the large boy stuck his chin up proud of that feat “but the book keeps changing! So I must memorize it all. Anyway it’s a good book you can’t not read it and be bored!”

Hiccup knew that half of their party would disagree but rather said “If you keep reading that you won’t even need me anymore.”

Hiccup meant it as a joke but a look of horror crossed Fishlegs face “Oh no no no no no! You wouldn’t leave me to run this place along would you? I’m flatter don’t get me wrong! But what if I confused swift wings with air kites or, or told the children to feed the dragons eels! I would run the academy to the ground! You mustn’t!”

“Fishlegs, I was joking.” Hiccup massaged his forehead “I’m not leaving the position to you or anyone okay?”

“Oh, that’s good, cause I would forget everything I know and probably start a civil war.” Fishlegs joked with a hint of anxiety still on his voice, he sighed and said “The book is so much longer and more detailed than when we first entered this arena.”

“You’ve done good work Fishlegs.” Hiccup said softly.

“There was so much more we could have learned at the Edge.” Fishlegs reminisced, but he saw Hiccup’s face darken, “Which we will have to go back soon. The war is going to end soon, I can feel it Hiccup.”

Hiccup patted Fishlegs on the shoulder. It was an admirable try to cheer him up. He let his hand fall back to his side without breaking his gaze from Astrid and her dragon running drills. Fighting in tandem on the ground and in tight corridors was something Hiccup had helped her develop but she had come to master all on her own. 

Hiccup shook himself from his funk for the moment, “Are we running dragon drills or weapon drills today?”

Astrid finished her warm up, “Weapon drills, everyone here has been relying on their dragons to do all the work.” 

“I think we should start.” Hiccup looked at the sun and estimated a few hours left of light, “Unless you have something planned for the night?”

“If anyone is awake for night drills, I’ll have failed as a teacher tonight.” Astrid placed her hands smugly on her hips.

“I hate it when Astrid leads training.” Snotlout grumbled from across the arena.

“Then you should have signed up for more nights.” Fishlegs said, “Don’t worry tomorrow we will be practicing meditation and connecting with our dragons through deep breathing and stretching.”

Both the twins walked past Hiccup gagging at the thought. Ruff crossed her arms and asked, “Can’t we just blow things up with you know, our dragons?”

“Normally yes.” Astrid started line everyone up, “but when you are on your own or your dragon is captured you need to be able to save yourself and your dragon. You can’t do that if you get killed because you don’t know how to fight properly. So first up, Hiccup.”

Hiccup sighed as Astrid started the evening with hand to hand combat. Hiccup was happy that he hold his own for a whole minute against Astrid but she swept his feet out from under him, twisted his arm painfully behind his back and held him to the ground. She released him and critiqued his arm and foot placement. Hiccup just tried to make sure his joints fit properly in their sockets. He lasted a few more bouts with her but his endurance quickly fell. They then switched to weapons where Hiccup had proved to be skilled with the sword a few months ago. He had spent a lot of time practicing drills on his own or with other villagers when he was looking for things to do. No one in the academy could match his speed but he didn’t have the strength that the others had. Although, with his practice in the drills he could usually end a match before strength became a major factor. Except Astrid never even let him have his speed when fighting her. He would swing and lunge, but she’d find a way to defend and even strike back in the same swift movement. Even when he disarmed her like today, she lunged forward and seized his sword arm, locking it against her body and ripping his sword away.

“Hiccup, have you lost?” Astrid was drenched in sweat like the rest of them but her strength held true.

The twinge in his tendons seemed to make the answer clear, “Looks like it.”

Astrid sighed, “No you didn’t. Here, shift your weight here, and bring your leg up to there.” Hiccup felt the weight shift from her control to his, “Now assuming I don’t know what your up to grab my arm and with all your weight and speed roll forward.”

Hiccup took a breath, thinking hard about where his body was. Astrid pulled lightly on his arm, reminding him to hurry up and Hiccup went into the roll. Astrid was flung off his arm and onto the floor. She rolled to her feet and Hiccup gasped at the ease of it.

“Not too bad,” Hiccup said, feeling like he could indulge in a little bit of pride at the moment.

“Did Hiccup just throw Astrid?” Tuff asked amused.

“Yeah, but I wouldn’t count her out,” Ruff told her twin.

“She’s right Hiccup,” Astrid said and Hiccup felt the tip of a blade gently poke the back of his neck, “Don’t forget to grab your sword.”

Hiccup put up his hands in surrender, “Where did you learn that throw?”

“Doesn’t matter. I know it now.” She said, “Now lets go again. Your throw sucked.”

Training was coming to a close as the sun started to fall soon enough. Hiccup leaned painfully against the cool stone wall, dead tired.

“I guess that is enough for today.” She stretched and did some back flips. Hiccup frowned unable to understand how she had so much energy.

Ruffnut and Tuffnut had collapsed in a heap feebly hitting each other still. Barf and Belch each took a twin and carried them off. Snotlout had a sheen of sweat but refused to show exhaustion. Hiccup gave up on that a while ago but he knew Snoutlout would rub it in his face tomorrow. Tonight Snoutlout wandered over to Hookfang his eyes glazed over and the two flew away. The setting sun gave the wall an orange hue like they were on fire. Hiccup was memorized by the shifting shadows as the light danced on the wall. 

“Lets head home.” Astrid clapped Hiccup on the shoulder and waite for him at the door as he gathered himself up.

Hiccup pretended she really wanted to walk home with him but he knew his dad ordered an escort for him at all times. They walked for a while in silence. The distant call of dragons and symphony of crickets gave their tired minds sufficient entertainment.

“Why did you pay for those pencils?” her words slurred, she was more tired than she let on.

Hiccup took a moment to remember what she was talking about but realized what she meant “I don’t know.”

“We’re not doing this again. Give me a straight answer.” Astrid said without emotion.

“Trade is so limited since Dagur cut Berk off from the other tribes.” This was a reason but not the reason he paid for the pencils but he wanted to brush this off with a joke “I don’t want to crash the economy.”

Astrid just waited. She didn’t need to look and prod. The sheer aura around her was enough to drag the answer out of Hiccup.

“I’m tired of people staring at me funny. I almost miss being ignored and invisible.” Hiccup half mindedly shrugged.

“Staring at you funny?” Astrid was confused.

“Yeah, you know.” She didn’t so Hiccup continued “Like today for example they were watching me like I walked in gold clothes. That one women started crying when she saw me!”

“You’re important Hiccup.” Astrid started “You are why we fight.”

“That’s not true Astrid.” Hiccup said wondering how tired she really was.

“Well, you are more like a symbol of why we fight.” Astrid looked at Hiccup through half closed eyes. “You are sign of an age of peace and stability. You are hope for them. That women cried because she knew her kids wouldn’t see another age of peace. As long as you’re here there is hope this war will end.”

Hiccup’s stomach rolled at the thought of being some kind of idol. Astrid didn’t notice and kept walking. He was glad she didn’t otherwise it might prompt her to explain more. That was something he didn’t want to hear more about. It was too much for his tired head to handle. He might even have been angry about it, but he didn’t want to give in to his stress and anger, otherwise it might surface as his breakfast. Hiccup mused that he might be nauseous because he hardly had anything to eat today. 

Astrid stopped suddenly “Here’s my house.”

“Oh” was all Hiccup could say.

She looked longingly at her home, to her bed and thoughts of quiet sleep “I should..”

“Oh no, you don’t have to. I can walk a hundred feet by myself. The ground won’t swallow me.”

It was the wrong thing to say as and pained look crossed Astrid’s face. Hiccup guessed she thought of an Whispering Death grinding him in its rotating teeth.

“Really it’s  _ fine _ ” Hiccup assured her and started to back away. She was tired and just nodded then fumbled with the door. Hiccup didn’t wait for her to enter the house before turning and leaving. Hiccup whispered “Goodnight Astrid” over his shoulder.

He scaled the hill up to his house. Silver light bathed the grass blades draining their colors and shifting the world into blues and blacks. Lanterns served as beacons of warmth in the cold air. Hiccup’s breath left him in a burst of steam and vanished like a specter into the night. His thighs burned but he forced his legs to keep working as he climbed the steps. Hiccup was so tired he used all of himself to force the door open. To his disappointment Stoick stood there with the handle in hand. Hiccup was tired but he knew his dad had to help him with the door. Trying not to drown in his self-pity he focused on trying to appear alert.

“How was your day?” Stoick asked.

He placed a plate in front of Hiccup, it clattered loudly before settling. Hiccup dazed, looked at the plate. His nausea dissipated as he comprehended the salted roast fish and potatoes, something they got on one of their raids.

Realizing he hadn’t answered the question said “It was fine.”

Hiccup less than gracefully tore into the food. Stoick chuckled at his son’s appetite.

“Did you eat today?” Stoick inquired.

Between mouthfuls “You saw me eating that bread.”

“Was that all?” Stoick was shocked but he teased Hiccup anyway “Well if you keep eating like today you’ll start shrinking and if you get any smaller the wind might blow you away.”

Hiccup had lost his sense of humor and looked at his father with confusion. 

Stoick let the joke drop “I’m covering another shift tomorrow for Thorenson in the east village, he broke his leg when the yaks stampeded. Ruffnut and Tuffnut had an unorthodox way of herding. Still it was Thorenson’s fault for leaving a simple task in the hands of those two.”

Hiccup smiled thinking of their attempt; he paused long enough to realize he had eaten four fish and three potatoes. His stomach twisted painfully at the sheer amount of food.

“Did you speak with Gothi?” Stoick had finished eating long ago but he didn’t look at Hiccup when he said it.

The topic did nothing to soothe his stomach “Yes”

“And?” Stoick waited eagerly.

“Nothing.” Stoick waited and Hiccup reluctantly continued “She couldn’t read my future.”

“Oh, that’s too bad” Stoick was frowning but Hiccup could see the joy in his eyes.

“Not really.” Hiccup had built up some courage “It means nothing, and because she saw exactly that, nothing, there is quite literally nothing to keep me here.”

Stoick waited for Hiccup to finish before swooping in “You’re not going.”

“What?!” Hiccup gasped.

“You are not going, there is too much gray area, maybe another time son.” Stoick crossed his arms to end the conversation.

Hiccup wasn’t thinking clear enough and went on the attack “You promised! You promised I could go if I spoke to her. She saw no omens of death over my head dad! I know that is what you were looking for!”

“I’m being very fair Hiccup!” coals were lighting behind Stoick’s eyes.

Hiccup ignored it “No! You are not being fair. Fair is letting me be alone for more than five minutes.”

“Fair is not seeing your head on a stick in an enemy camp.” Stoick growled back.

“You never want me to leave. I’m a danger to the cause.” Hiccup stood to level with his dad.

Stoick didn’t have to try hard to tower over Hiccup and hissed in a warning tone “Hiccup.”

“You think I will fold and give away all our secrets, so instead you parade me around as an idol for people to gawk at.” Hiccup shouted.

“You don’t yell at me boy.” Stoick had uncrossed his arms and clenched his fists.

“You can’t keep me here!” Hiccup’s voice broke as his supper started to gurgle up, so he forced it down again.

“I can Hiccup.” A fire blazed in his eyes “You have to be safe.”

“Other people have lost their children!” Hiccup snapped back “What makes me special?”

“I WILL NOT LOSE MY SON!” Stoick roared, he paused and controlled himself “You can’t go because people find hope in you. As long as you are alive there is hope of the old days returning.”

“You can’t keep me here because you’re nostalgic” Hiccup carried a lighter tone; his anger had worn itself out, now he was tired “Things have changed, I get that, but you have to let me change with them. You keeping me here, hoping for an age gone by is killing me. Those days are dead; please don’t bury me with them!”

Stoick absorbed each word growing taller, his face flushed an angry red dulled he spoke “I want you to get rid of all the supplies. If you do not I will do it for you and I’ll throw your saddle out with it. I know that those are bygone but the people, those people” he pointed to the door and the village beyond “are suffering and what little hope I can give them is the best thing for Berk. They need to remember that there are good days still coming.”

Hiccup didn’t respond. He couldn’t respond. His energy was gone. No more fighting, not now. His stomach flipped again. He hadn’t expected this. His head was heavy and numb, and the sensation trickled into the rest of his being. Except his stomach that chewed at the rest of him like a hungry bear. Hiccup hung his head and took his plate. His father said something on the lines of an apology but he couldn’t hear a word. Hiccup nodded and hoped that it would be a sufficient answer. Hiccup disposed of his food and went to the pile of supplies on the floor, his gateway to freedom and it was closing fast.

He stood for a moment then said blankly “I’ll take care of them now.”

“I think that would be best. I have to go to bed now, it was a long day” Stoick started out the room, he turned back, opened his mouth to speak, but decided against it. 

He left Hiccup there alone. The creak of leather and metal rang across the room. The belt moved like snakes in his arms sliding their hard grey heads though their brothers and to the floor. The world took on a hostile tint. The fire sent angry red light around the room. Nothing was right. The familiarity of the world faded and the shadows in the corners of the room waged war with the light. They held more power than before or Hiccup just started seeing what was always there. Gurgling in the pit of his stomach another force scaled up his throat. With the supplies in arm, Hiccup bolted from the house and to the woods before purging his stomach of at least one bad feeling. 

Gripping his person, the cold air shook him from his delirium. An odd sense of clarity washed over the him as he stood over his own bile. The acidic smell of his supper mixed with the crisp night air. Hiccup moved to another tree facing his food. He allowed his back to rest on the scratchy bark and sank until his felt wet earth underneath him. Never before had being on the island seemed so revolting. He had a burning desire to escape the looks and the expectations, escape into the sky with Toothless. 

The sky. Hiccup looked up. The moon breached the hills. Wrapped in a thick blanket of stars it shed silver light on the village. Orange lantern light popped like swollen pimples across the village, eliminating the moon’s touch on door steps and windowsills.

The pile of leather was scattered from the door to the forest. Without thinking he stood and gathered the straps and scattered supplies. Starting from the closest to the door and ending in the woods. There he sat and separated the pile with relative ease. Hiccup smiled to himself thinking how no one knew he was there in the wood alone. 

“Ten minutes of relative freedom has cleared my head enough to undo the tangle I’ve had fought with all day.” Hiccup said softly to himself “Think what a hour would do or even a day? I can’t imagine was three days would give me!” Hiccup crescendo’d “You know I could use three days. A week! But a week would be too much. Three days to show them I can survive by myself. Initiative, I’ll take a little initiative.”

With that Hiccup pulled the supplies wrapped in the tent close into the cover of a bush. Poking around first for Terrible Terrors before tying a low branch to an uncovered root, effectively hiding his escape plan. He strode back to the house with a new sense of purpose. Hiccup opened the door swiftly and with force causing more noise than intended. Hiccup cringed, he waited for Stoick to come barreling into the room asking questions but all that came was silence. Carefully closing the door Hiccup felt more akin to a criminal sneaking up to his loft. His steps seemed louder, he crossed every creaky floor board and stumbled into anything that was relatively noisy. He became keenly aware of every squeak his leg made and how loud it was. It was hard not to wonder if that is what he really sounded like when he walked.

At long last he reached his room. Toothless had crawled in through an opened section of the roof. Cold drafts danced into his room driving Hiccup to pull the crank that closed the hatch. Closer he got to his bed the more fatigue settled in his bones. Though luck or acts of the gods Hiccup reached his bed and was out before he could climb under the covers. 

His rest was fitful and full of nightmares that were banished by a wave of cold that had splashed up the stairs. The dark of night had faded into a deep blue. The sun was hours from rising but its arrival was known by the rapid flight of the stars. Groggy, Hiccup sat up and his back cracked along each vertebra. His stiffness left him in pops and crackles and in turn was replaced by memory of the previous night. 

Hiccup gasped “Toothless we-ack!”

Toothless had moved from the slab of rock, set next to the far wall, he sleeps on to the side of Hiccups bed. Consciousness had driven every bad dream from his memory and left an impression like a foot print after the rain. He unknowingly had stepped on his friend and received an injured look.

Hiccup gripped the sides of Toothless’s face “Do you want to go flying?”

Toothless understood and leapt about the room in joy. Hiccup laughed until his companion started knocking things over. Hiccup leapt forward and hugged Toothless’s neck. The Night Fury calmed down to not hurt his friend. Hiccup threw on his riding gear then calmly led the dragon down the stairs and out of the house. Toothless still had his saddle on and Hiccup felt bad for making the dragon sleep in it but it came in handy. Mounting the ebony dragon he rode him to town. A great basin in town served as a feeding bowl for the dragons. There was no worry of rotting fish as the dragons cleared the bowl each day. Luckily there was some left and Hiccup let Toothless eat. Watching for others Hiccup was suspicious of every sound and move. There was nothing wrong with feeding his dragon but Hiccup couldn’t suppress the feeling everyone knew what he was planning on doing. A sense of guilt nibbled at the back of his mind that he tried to ignore.

“Hiccup.” A Viking trod up the hill, he waved at Hiccup.

Hiccup waved nervously back, all he could think was  _ don’t tell don’t tell  _ fortunately he said in a stilted voice,“Hey, uh, couldn’t sleep so I thought ‘why not feed the old dragon’ right?”

Toothless stopped to glare at Hiccup who just shrugged an apology.

“Ah, hear to feed the dragon too then?” the Viking heartily laughed, a Zippleback walked to the opposite side of him and with its two heads plucked out fish methodically from the bowl.

Hiccup stood in awkward silence looking between the dragons and the man. Both Hiccup and the man started to speak at the same time. They stopped and stared at each other waiting then tried again but neither waited. Hiccup politely offered for him to go and the Viking refused. Hiccup started first:

“So-” and was cut off abruptly

“What’re ya doing? Sneaking off? Running away?” the Viking said jokingly.

Hiccup’s heart caught in his throat “what? Pfft, that’s- no.”

The Viking leaned in confused at Hiccup’s surprise but brushed it off when his Hideous Zippleback nudged him, she was named Gutslasher. Hiccup was happy to see the Viking gone and was now left alone. 

He let out a sigh of relief “Toothless what is taking you so long?”

A low rumble from Toothless’s chest clearly let Hiccup know that ‘he will not be rushed’. Hiccup growled back mockingly. He seemed to wait forever, the deep blue night lightened and the people of Berk began to stir in their homes. Toothless stepped back from the bowl and sneezed. The dragon left without Hiccup, licking his lips in satisfaction. His rider had to run after him and when he caught up Hiccup led Toothless to the hidden supplies in the woods. Hiccup past the vomit from last night which brought all his feeling flooding back and strengthened his resolve. Toothless sniffed it, he looked about ready to eat it but moved on. 

There was an urgency to Hiccup’s movement now. He moved quickly, checking the saddle and fixing where he had too. He went to the bush but the knot had been done incorrectly and tightened soundly around the root. In his haste Hiccup pulled the dagger from his boot and cut the rope releasing the branch in his face. Unaffected, he removed the saddlebags from the canvas and threw them over the dragon’s back. Strapping them on Hiccup filled them with the necessary supplies, there was a net, fishing pole, food and water, a change of clothes, a spare tailfin and his drawing books with pencils. Hiccup looked at the tent and didn’t bring the poles to hold it up. Instead he rolled the canvas and bound it between the saddlebags. Without the poles Toothless could move more freely and it was significantly lighter. 

Hiccup looked to the house once more and pulled a pencil from his bag “Be right back!”

Dashing into the house Hiccup scrawled onto a paper:

_ Dear dad, _

_ I am a Viking. Being a Viking is an occupational hazard so you can’t hide me away from danger you know that! I will be gone three days and will be flying between the surrounding Islands. I will not go to find danger nor will I confront Dagur’s men AND if I see danger I will return home immediately. I’m not doing this to hurt you. I just need space and the wind at my back.  _

_ In a week or less. _

_ Hiccup. _

Hiccup stood over his letter thinking how odd that he was really doing this. Now that he’d actually written it, Hiccup really did want that week. He was going to leave in dark of night, slip into the cold air and disappear. He laughed to himself, it sounded like a book he got from Trader Rohan when he still came to the island. Then something occurred to Hiccup and he added:

_ P.S. Dad, I was not forced to write this letter.  _

_ P.P.S Really I mean it! See you soon. _

The table was cleared then Hiccup laid out the letter so that is was the first thing seen when entering the room. He back up slowly inspecting the letter then burst out of the room to Toothless waiting faithfully on the hill behind the house. Hiccup leapt onto Toothless. Toothless sprang upward with a powerful pump of his wings. In the air Toothless’s hindquarters didn’t follow like they should’ve. The dragon landed heavily of the ground again. Toothless snorted then attempted to jump up again but wasn’t able to perform a vertical climb for more than twenty feet.

“Hey bud we are off balance.” Hiccup patted the irritated dragon’s head “I’m sorry we should’ve practiced. I think a running start would be better.”

With one angry swish of his tail Toothless walked slowly feeling out his range of motion. He built into a trot, then a run which evolved into a sprint. Leaping off the sides of trees spreading his wings to increase the height and lengths of his jumps to dodge the stray Viking Toothless sprinted for the cliff. The edge was a sharp drop off, the expanse of ocean the only thing in the distance. Hiccup glanced back at the saddle bags that were fortunately still attached and even better still holding all their contents. Looking forward Toothless had reached the cliff edge. Black claws dug deep into the cliff side. Time slowed then, as Hiccup realized he was taking a step that would change everything. The moment Toothless takes to the air Hiccup knew he wouldn’t turn back and when he would return things wouldn’t be the same. Whether it would be good or bad no longer mattered but he would find out soon. 

Toothless released his strength. Dragon and rider were now flying through the air. Hiccup snapped the tail fin open. Toothless flapped, the wind catching under his wing. But they started losing elevation, wide eyed the two fell. Below the ocean wasn’t as far away as they thought. Stony fangs sprang like crooked Gronkle teeth off the rocky sea floor. Instinctively they tried to fly up but only got them up fifty feet before they lost all their momentum. Hiccup looked back at the bags, he freed a hand to reach for his knife but instead grabbed the metal that looped around the night fury’s leg that was part of the breast collar. With his little strength Hiccup pulled turning Toothless on his back. They started to fall but Toothless understood and kept his wings open, his teeth bared. Both rider and dragon anxiously watched the sea rapidly approach but, as they build speed the wind caught more fully under Toothless’s wings and they arched upward with Toothless’s tail just grazing the water on their ascent. 

Hiccup restarted and he screamed “BY THOR YES!”

Toothless shot a blast of blue fire into the sky. Hiccup had a horrible moment of Déjà vu but Toothless spun out of the way of the flames. Hiccup was blinded by the flash of light that lit up their surroundings like sunlight. The heat of the fire washed over him like a lava flow causing Hiccup to grimace and cover his face. 

“Try not to kill me in the first ten minutes Toothless!” Hiccup yelled but he couldn’t hold back a smile now that they had their new found freedom. 

Toothless only shook his head playfully purring slightly. Hiccup imagined them moving at logic defying speeds but instead they moved at an easy pace. It was a little anticlimactic after their incredible dive. Hiccup got worried that that would be the most exciting part of their trip. All their adventure blown on a lone dive. Hiccup remembered the daring move and his stomach dropped. He looked back to see one of the bags had opened. 

“Oh no! Buddy keep steady for me.” Hiccup rubbed the dragon’s neck. 

Leaning over to the stirrup his leg was hooked in, he hit a latch locking the pedal in place. Freeing his metal foot, Hiccup gingerly moved down Toothless back. In the pink and gold painted sky Hiccup felt his way along being careful not to step on his wings and hurt Toothless with his prosthetic leg. Small gusts of wind would rock Toothless. Hiccup clutched the spines on Toothless’s back until his knuckles went white.

When he reached the bag Hiccup frowned because he had lost the fishing pole but the net was still in the other bag. He played with the rope and evened out the weight while allowing his dragon more room to maneuver his tail. He slowly toiled to turn himself around but he spied something in the distance coming from the shrinking island. Hiccup was frozen but when a flap of Toothless wing nearly dislodged him he scrambled back to the saddle. Toothless roared when Hiccups metal leg scraped off a scale. Hiccup unlocked the pedal and urged Toothless to go faster. A sideways look from Toothless and lack of speed scared Hiccup. Toothless couldn’t go faster. The boy looked back a rider was fast approaching the two. The dragon was a Nadder and it climbed above them then positioned into a dive characteristically like Toothless’s. 

Hiccup’s shoulders drooped “Great were done for.”

Astrid dropped in above them “Hiccup! Get back to the Island!”

Hiccup didn’t look and hoped she would leave but she didn’t.

“Hiccup!”

“Does anyone else know I left?” Hiccup didn’t look at her.

“I don’t know. I just followed when I saw you two fall from the cliff.” She shouted over the wind.

“Keep it that way!” Hiccup yelled back.

“Where are you going?!” Astrid cried “Come back with me please! Or I will board you!”

Hiccup knew that was an empty threat because she knew if she took him Toothless would fall into the ocean and drown. Fear still gnawed at the back of his mind. Astrid looked very conflicted between concern for Toothless and her duty.

“I’m going for a quick ride.” Hiccup said it was a shallow lie. “Alone”

“I can’t let you do this Hiccup.” Astrid said her eyes were filled with concern “I will use force.”

“Astrid.” Hiccup said probably too softly for her to hear but he locked eyes with her then said louder “No you won’t. You can’t stop me even if you kill Toothless.” Astrid looked startled “I will get away. I’ve been trapped for too long. Never had I been so closely watched in my whole life. I need my space.” Astrid still followed close so Hiccup sighed “I- I’m going to eagle point, a half a day’s ride from here. You know where it is and will be able to find me there. You can check on me daily, hide there to keep an eye on me whatever you need to feel safe. But I  _ need _ this.”

Astrid flew above him in silence. 

Suddenly she looked away and said something indiscernible.

“What?” Hiccup leaned back closer to her.

“FINE!” She screamed. Stormfly jerked and pulled away from Toothless and Hiccup. It flew back to its original place again. Hiccup chuckled thinking if the dragon wasn’t awake it was now. “I will be checking on you every hour Hiccup. You won’t be able to eat without my approval.”

“How are you going to check on me every hour?” Hiccup sadly knew what she was going to say next.

“I’m coming with you.”

Hiccup craned his next upward at her “Okay I was joking about the ‘hiding on the island’ thing. You know that right?”

“You offered Hiccup!” She smiled.

Hiccup closed his eyes, sucked in air and said “You can’t come with me Astrid. Go run back to your patrol and your life!”

“Hiccup?” Astrid’s eyes widened.

“Go away Astrid!” Hiccup yelled, forcing anger into his voice “I’m not as weak as you think! I might not be able to throw axes like pebbles or take down someone five times my size but I can handle myself. Stop pretending like you have to protect me just because you’re the big strong Viking and I’m- not. Don’t be so full of yourself!”

Hiccup dearly regretted that last part but it did the trick.

“Hiccup” Was all Astrid be able to say. Hiccup saw hurt in her eyes before anger took over “I’m taking you back.”

“No you are not.” Hiccup said without emotion. 

Astrid’s face twisted into a snarl.

“You aren’t moving very fast.” Astrid smirked “I’ll have all of Berk on you within the hour!”

Stormfly hissed and her tail spikes were erect. Toothless looked back, his pupils contracted into thin lines and flashing his white teeth. Astrid steered Stormfly away. They shot off toward Berk that was still visible in the distance. Hiccup felt Toothless whole body rumble with a deep angry growl. 

After she left Hiccup sank into depression. Toothless only moved slightly faster now that he was more used to the bags. Even then they moved at a fourth of his speed. Most of the dragon’s energy was put into keeping them in the air. Hiccup calculated that they would be caught before the day was up and in a moment of spite they changed their course for an island unknown.

Toothless was working hard, intent on their destination in front of them. They flew undisturbed, the sun had reached its pinnacle. Hiccup noticed they had lost some altitude. Toothless’s breathing had also become more labored. He wasn’t in peak shape and had to fly weird to keep them out of the water below. Hiccup twisted in his seat looking for an island to land. It was open ocean on all sides and there were no islands in sight. 

Hiccup pounded his fist on the saddle in frustration. Toothless was surprised and nickered. Hiccup whispered an apology and scratched Toothless head. He got a purr in response. The change in course was really all he needed to do? There were no legions of dragons following them yet so Hiccup focused on searching for a place to rest. They flew longer but nothing turned up. The sun was warm on his skin but it didn’t penetrate like the cold wind did. Still Hiccup couldn’t fight sleep. He sat in the saddle. Arms crossed his head resting on his shoulder. His eyes slid close and slept in utter darkness. 

Toothless woke him after he’d dived for a fish skirting along the surface of the water. There was a small island to their left and Hiccup landed Toothless there. It was a barren rock about the length of a Monstrous Nightmare. Toothless slept for a few hours and woke ready to go. They flew though the night and into the next day. Hiccup ate in the saddle and they found another small rock outcropping to land on and rest. Astrid promised hordes of dragons chasing him down, dragging him back to the Island. Yet it had been almost two days since he’d left. Hiccup looked all around him. 

There were no islands for miles. When they left this perch he couldn’t guarantee Toothless that they would come across land again if they pressed onward like they were. The Vikings spoke of the end of the earth. With the horizon clear, the sky and the ocean melding into one it looked like it could go on forever. Maybe it wasn’t a sharp cut off just an absence of land that marked the edge of the world. Toothless growled. 

“Alright bud, but lets conserve our energy. I don’t know when we will see land again.” Hiccup wondered why he kept pressing forward. 

He had effectively lied to Astrid. Did all of Berk show up at Eagle Point only to find it empty? A runaway and a lier. It wasn’t something a village idol should be doing and it was going to make returning much harder. That was a future problem, currently they ran the risk of getting hopelessly lost. He’d already used two days to travel. Hiccup had only one more day left before he crossed some self imposed taboo line. 

Maybe it was the months of lock down and his thirst for something new, but crossing that line was more of a challenge than a restriction now. Toothless wasn’t perturbed with forging onward like they were. Hiccup breathed in the salty air. It was go time. He mounted Toothless as a gust of wind brought a wave crashing over the little island. Dragon and Rider were already in flight as the ocean swallowed their last known perch. Toothless rose high into the sky finding the thermals and letting himself glide. Toothless was asleep within the hour. Hiccup kept them going straight. He’d shift his body weight to turn Toothless as needed. At last it was just Hiccup, Toothless and the sky. Hiccup relaxed as night settled in around them. Toothless was in and out, waking to gain altitude every few hours but sleeping after that. Hiccup watched the stars blinking slowly. 

Until he was woken by Toothless’s warbling. Hiccup put a hand to shield his eyes, He wanted to laugh at himself. He’d actually fallen asleep. Hiccup guessed he was asleep for a couple hours, it was still early in the morning but on the open ocean nothing was there to block the sun. His partner’s ears were erect and shivering. The yellow panicked eyes darted around looking for danger.

“What is it bud? What’s wrong?” Hiccup leaned forward and played a hand on the night fury’s head. The dragon jumped, he was so focused he’d forgotten that Hiccup was on his back. Hiccup became fearful, the last time Toothless acted like this Hiccup met the Red Death, the dragon he fought and lost his leg. Hiccup looked behind him a thin band of small forms was on the horizon. Dragons flying in a pattern too structured to be wild and too wild to be Berkians. They would be on them in a few hours. “Toothless we’ve got company.”

But Toothless was unconcerned with the dragons instead was intent on what was head of them. 

Hiccup gasped “What. Is. That?”

Ahead a pillar of black was coming from the ocean. Bulging and boiling like smoke from a fire mountain but there was no seeable island. Even so the black cloud appeared to be close and it spread across the horizon. Thunder could be seen crackling across the clouds surface. The ocean turned violently below, the sky turned a threatening color as the sun was blotted out. That is when they were hit with a wall of gale force wind. Hiccup and Toothless where throw around like a rag doll caught in the rapids. Even so, Hiccup was able to get Toothless to straighten.

“Bud if that is the pre-winds we don’t want to get caught in the heart of the storm” Hiccup directed Toothless in the opposite direction and they were faced with the approaching squad of unknown dragons “You know, nothing is ever easy is it?”

His dragon shook its head and made disapproving growls. With the choice of the deadly gale behind them and the possible enemy dragons ahead of them. Hiccup wanted to take his chances with the dragons. They started toward the little forms on the horizon but the storm caught up with them faster than Hiccup thought. Like the charge of a thousand black horses, the screeching wall of black enveloped them and Hiccup lost all sense of direction.

“Toothless we have to get out of here!” Hiccup yelled but the wind sucked the breath from his lungs. 

He coughed into his shirt. There was so much rain Hiccup felt like he was drowning. They spun through the air. Hiccup’s stomach dropped like they were falling. In the saturated air he couldn’t tell if they were being carried up or falling down out of the sky. Nor could Hiccup tell how long they had been rolling in this storm or how far it had blown them. Toothless roared. It was swallowed in the screaming wind. Hiccup could hardly breathe. He was losing his grip on the saddle. All that saved him was the two safety cords hooked to the saddle horn. In the dark a blue light was visible. Toothless feebly fought the wind. Hiccup could feel himself reaching for it. The storm lessened and Toothless was able to fight his way out of the clouds. Hiccup could bare keep himself conscious as they glided through the dark. 

He couldn’t comprehend how long they’d flown or how far they’d gone. In the Hiccup’s current exhaustion he could focus on the ground below. If they were over the ocean it didn’t matter. Toothless couldn’t hold their altitude anymore. The dragon’s muscles would shutter and they’d drop lower before Toothless could gather enough strength to level them off. He blinked and saw what looked like a blue light. Toothless groaned and started to drop out of the sky again. It seemed like the Night Fury was down and out but he was able to catch himself. Once again blue lights flickered across Hiccup’s vision. He squinted in the pitch dark when Toothless’s wings at last gave out. Hiccup cried out as they flew into the top of a tree. Hiccup heard the crack of branches and then fell into oblivion.


	2. A Dragon and A Boy and A Girl

A Dragon

Sun picked its way through the trees. A beam, small but bright, lighted down the eye of a sleeping dragon. Toothless tucked his nose under his chest squeezing his eyes shut will sleep back into his body. When his nose touched the earth he realized it was full of unfamiliar smells. His ears twitched, the forest was quiet but he could hear the birds shivering in the trees. Toothless knew this wasn’t any of his forests. The animals were used to dragons on and around Berk but, here they hid, frozen and sweating with fear. Yellow eyes observed the area. The trees have broad leaves, there were no needled green around. Toothless put his nose to the wind, there was no heavy pine smell but the cool air from a stream wasn’t far away. 

Toothless remembered his partner. The brown haired boy was thrown when they fell and was now sprawled in the dead leaves that cluttered the forest floor. Toothless cooed to him as he stiffly limped over. There was a stab in his tail and Toothless snapped at empty air. The metal in his tail had been bent into his skin. When moved a certain way it poked painfully between two scales. He grumbled but focused on the boy again. He nudged his friend, he was too quiet and too still, but by some miracle Hiccup uttered a moan. The dragon huffed in the way of a sigh to find him still alive. His partner was incredibly resilient. Toothless was hungry and knew the boy would be in no shape to feed either one of them. The saddle bags had been torn off during their fall. They were hanging in a tree ripped, their contents scattered on the forest floor. Toothless moved to the smell of food spilt from a broken container, it was smeared with dirt and un-edible. 

Toothless lapped it up anyway, getting a tongue full of dirt. He rubbed it across the roof of his mouth, tasting and smelling every scent and flavor it could offer him. Toothless went and searched another bag. This next one was for water but a brave animal had gotten all but a small drop before Toothless had woken. The black dragon nosed the container then moved on. Passing over the broken tools the boy weighed him down with. He stopped over the spare dragon fin. The metal prongs were bent out of shape. Toothless mouthed it but left it behind. Toothless winced when he bumped into a tree and sent a stab of pain up his tail.

The dragon stopped. In front of him was a thing: small, blue and glowing. It bobbed enticingly. The dragon crouched, his hind quarters wiggled in excitement. It lunged at it but the light disappeared before Toothless could get a single claw into it. He spun and snapped his jaw shut making a hollow chomping noise at the metal hook in his tail. He wanted the infernal trap off, moving wasn’t usually this painful when he wore the artificial fin but now that it was broken? Toothless didn’t care for it.

Another blue light appeared in his peripheral vision. Forgetting the broken tail Toothless lunged at light. He couldn’t seem to catch one but it didn’t stop him from trying. They’d appear in trees, under rocks and would move just out of reach. He would think he’d caught one and see that it disappeared out from under his paw. Toothless’s eyes were dilated in pure excitement. He leapt off of trees in pursuit of the glowing creatures. They’d appear in trees and around bushes. Running in circles around the foliage Toothless suddenly cried out. His tail was caught on some netting, which pulled painfully, that dug the broken prong between his scales. Caught in a fit of anger and pain Toothless thrashed his tail. The trees shook violently, dropping some of their leaves and branches. At long last the faulty fin was loosened and thrown from his tail. Toothless slipped free of the netting and ran in pursuit of another blue light that had appeared. 

He bobbed and spun then fidgeted in place looking for another one. Then he spotted it hovering above a bush on the edge of a river bed. Toothless froze. It hovered, beckoning him forward with wispy glowing arms. Toothless approached, gently stepping, slowly applying pressure to not make a sound. The roar of rapids beyond the bush helped conceal the sound he made. His shoulders shimmied loosening his neck muscles. When he was about to jump the thing vanished. Toothless jolted forward slightly, but relaxed and sat on his hindquarters. 

An ear twitched in confusion. He breathed in and caught the smell of fish. Toothless salivated and shivered in anticipation. He stretched, his muscles warm now and his limp practically gone, Toothless was about to approach the river but stopped at the sound sound of a large creature making panicked complaints. Then Toothless heard someone else making sounds at it. The River and the smell of fish buried this smaller creatures’ scent. A little effort by Toothless, and he identified it as another human. 

Toothless got closer but the large creature knew he was there and became more panicked. Taking another step, Toothless was tense, and his teeth extended and retracted unsure of what to do. The creature heard him come and bolted. The sound of four feet across stone and the splash of water as it fled across the river. Toothless was surprised that it had abandoned its companion. He thought very little of this beast, it’s more like the small animals that his friend and his people kept, not their loyal dragon companions. One thing helped redeem the creature for the dragon was that it fled away from him but despite its fear stayed on the other side of the bank calling to its person. Sensible it was. Toothless was a deadly foe if you made him one.

Toothless looked past the bush staying hidden. He saw the companion. She called angrily to her beast but gave up after a while. In her hand was a bow. Toothless glared at the object, having never been fond of weapons, though he was quite interested in the bounty she had by her side. Three large fish were strung together. They floated in the cool water caught in a divot in the stony beach under the shade of a thick tree. The spot where the fish lay accessible if the dragon hid in a row of bushes lining the beach. Toothless moved to the new spot eyeing the fish. The roar of a cascade covered the noise he made reaching through the bushes. He pulled a fish free. The girl spun around quickly but she’d missed the dragon by seconds. A breeze blowing through the trees rattled every branch hiding the movement left over from Toothless’s quick retreat. She was smart though and warily watched the branches that moved differently. With this in mind he slid into a thick branched tree that hung precariously over the shallow pool. His tail was hooked over the branch and Toothless dropped down enough to take another fish.

The girl looked back again and cried out in confusion. She looked at the pool that had one remaining fish. She tossed her curly red hair behind her shoulder but it bounced back framing her round fair face. The red head examined the surrounding area. Toothless held still, because she had her bow knocked with an arrow and was muttering angrily her in own tongue. Her gaze moved from the ruffled stones to the broken tips of the bush. She stood on the tips of her toes spotting something odd about the ground and then nervously her gaze followed to the base of the tree up to the branch Toothless crouched on. She screamed and tripped on a loose stone.  _ Twack _ . An arrow whizzed past the dragon into the wood of the tree. Toothless’s eyes contracted into thin lines and displayed his teeth. He made the cross between a rapid clucking and an angry growl. The red haired girl’s eyes widened she attempted to scramble backward but cut her hand on a stone. She hissed in pain but the dragon didn’t smell blood. Toothless had no reservations about firing at the girl; she had just fired an arrow at his face. Toothless slid from the branch by lowering himself with his tail. His fuel built in the back of his throat making a raspy hiss. She sharply inhaled and fumbled with her bow. The girl had no idea what to do she was frozen. Toothless took a step forward and she drew the bow back. They were at a stalemate but who would fire first?

A Boy

Hiccup’s eyes parted weakly. He fought against the heavy weight holding his lids shut. When they did open the sun burned his eyes and he squeezed them shut again. Hiccup took a mental count of his limbs by moving them one at a time. All three were intact and now that they’d been brought out of shock he couldn’t stop feeling them. Hiccup rolled onto his stomach and used his arms to push himself into a sitting position. He opened his eyes now. Dull pain pounded though his sides and limbs. Brown leather flapped in his ear and Hiccup noticed his shoulder pad had broken. Formed leather weakly cupped his shoulder but a simple tap and it was swinging uselessly behind him. Nothing of flesh and blood was broken, so he must have passed out before they hit the ground. Though he was going to be very much bruised before the day was up.

All around his the supplies were broken and scattered. He wouldn’t have been surprised but the fresh Night fury tracks caused Hiccup to wonder.

“Still really not that surprising” Hiccup shrugged remembering countless broken objects that the dragon was responsible for.

Straight faced, Hiccup breathed in deeply and swiftly shook the thought from his head. He regretted that action immediately when a dull heavy thud of pain resounded against his forehead. At that moment he had the odd urge to stand. He regretted that too. His legs were sore and fought him the whole way up.

“AGRH!” rested a shoulder on the tree, he patted the trunk in thank you “What possessed me to do that?”

Rubbing a weary hand across his face Hiccup walked from the tree. He sleepily took inventory. Everything was lost or broken. The saddle bags were strung up in the trees empty of their contents which lay useless on the forest floor. His dagger had slipped from his boot and was imbedded in a tree. A heavy feeling crowded his head as a hundred horrible thoughts flashed though his mind. He pulled the object and slipped it into his boot again. The more Hiccup walked the better he felt but something upset him. He crouched down and examined his metal foot. It was bent enough to put him off balance when he walked. Hiccup guessed he could still fly but this time he and Toothless would practice first this time. 

Hiccup looked up and saw the mangled replacement fin “Great! At least it was the back up so as long as the other one is working we’ll get off this island.”

Hiccup spoke too soon and just beyond tangled in the fishing net was the other tail clearly in worse shape. Hiccup stared blankly at it, cursing his bad luck. At that moment he hoped that where was a black smith nearby, but he guessed that he could fashion a crude forge with Toothless’s help. The dragon could sometimes manage a jet of fire when he wanted to. All Hiccup needed was to get the metal hot enough to bend it back into shape that they would fly with. The spare only need a couple poles adjusted and they would be off. Though this was assuming the saddle and rigging system was still usable. 

Hiccup ran his fingers through his brown hair “Things are only getting worse. This is not what I planned.”

He hobbled to the other fin now bound like an unlucky fly. The tail was closed but one metal finger was snapped from the wood. It was still held on by the red leather skin but on the shattered end was blood. Dribbles of blood extended into the woods.

“Toothless… no wonder you threw it off.” Concern washed over Hiccup, he hadn’t even thought about how the dragon faired the fall. In the distance was the roar of a river “Still working by your stomach huh bud?”

He was one to talk because he couldn’t remember the last time he ate. Hiccup picked his way carefully across the netting. Perhaps the dragon caught something and would share. He had to shake his prosthetic free once but hobbled through the rocky forest after the Night Fury. Hiccup wondered surprised by the damage done to the trees by his dragon. Guilt was like bile in his throat at the thought that the pain drove his friend mad. Claw marks in the dark bark exposed light wood. Some trees bled sticky amber sap. Hiccup walked along with ease for a while longer, the river got louder which roused Hiccup’s spirits. A drove of bushy trees grew in an almost perfect line about fifty feet ahead. Assuming the river was just beyond Hiccup climbed over a dead tree. At that moment a strange thing occurred to him. This was the first true barrier he climbed over. Then he stopped and looked up. Branches were broken from their descent but nothing in the forest could tell him what island he was on. All he knew was this one was starkly different from any he’d traveled to around Berk or the Edge. Hiccup could only be dumb founded for so long before a girl’s scream pierced the air.

Hiccup sprinted his leg catching in a loose root or branch that would send him stumbling. He saw Toothless slip from a tree ready to attack.

“NO STOP!” Hiccup hurtled over the bush, and landed on the stony beach.

A sharp pain exploded in his shoulder. Hiccup then found himself lying on the stones unaware how he got there. There was a pungent smell of old standing water and moss. Hiccup was lying on his side in the multitude of gray rocks. A deep fog suffocated his thoughts but started to clear and Hiccup pieced his world together. He couldn’t lay on his back because of a long wooden shaft that protruded from his left shoulder. A metallic scrape on stone meant the arrow had run clean through. Hiccup was numb, his mind had yet to accept the arrow lodged in his being. Hot blood left a red stain in his shirt and streams ran quickly down his fingertips. Dumbfounded he held his hand to his face. 

“Toothless” Hiccup cried still staring astounded at the sight of his own blood. “Toothless!”

The dragon had pinned the girl roaring at her. She struggled, hopelessly screaming, but Toothless had her trapped. Fortune was in her favor that day because the dragon abandoned her to tend to the boy. Toothless nuzzled Hiccup looking at him fearfully. He sniffed around the wound but brushed against the arrow. Hiccup gasped as pain ran through his body like lighting. He pushed the dragon away violently with one hand and the other quivered protectively over the wound. Hiccup began to fade out he whispered to Toothless but his tongue dry and didn’t move right. His words came slurred and hushed.

Hiccup was half conscious but the world rolled and jerked violently. Hiccup felt like he was trying to ride toothless bareback at a dead sprint, he pitched and rocked so much. Each bump and shudder sent pain shooting through his head and arm. Hiccup had no control over his body and he strangled a cry before he mercifully slid back into unconsciousness. 

A Girl

Birds woke up too early. Chirps and other cheery noises roused Merida from her sleep. Warm yellow light washed into the room though the cold air. She stretched her drowsy limbs while yawning abundantly. She turned her back to the woken world but she was wide eyed now. Nothing she could do. Merida reluctantly sat up. Red locks cascaded around her shoulders. Curled so tightly some bounced. She ran her hands over the impressive mane and sorted out the surface tangles. The hair deeper was spared on the account of hair type and owner unwillingness. Merida bounded from her bed, she called out when she landed on the cold stone. The air was like ice on her skin so Merida hurriedly slipped into her clothes. This was a free day and she wasn’t going to waste it sitting around. She stretched her arms once again. Spreading them out to her sides, reaching for her toes that curled on the frozen floor then to the massive wooden beams on the ceiling. Even encased in cloth their movement was wide and with ease. Merida extend the last stretch before allowing them to drop to her sides. Her eyes fluttered closed as she baste in the relief it brought her.

“Wake up lass.” With a gentle pat on her cheeks she moved in the thick cold air. 

On wobbly knees Merida approached the door. She wanted to go back to the warmth of her bed but with every ounce of her will resisted. At the foot of the bed were her shoes. Thankfully her feet slipped them on, happy to be off the cold floor. Merida audibly sighed then adorned her empty quiver and slung her bow over her shoulder. The carved light surface of the bow brought new life to Merida as memories of old excursions and conquests flooded to mind. Out the door she was and down the stairs. Passing the tapestries and honored weapons. Merida moved with purpose forcing servants ten feet down to shuffle timidly against the wall. A quick nod released them from their meekness and they moved on to where ever else they were needed. The court was empty of people and alone sat three painted thrones in the midst of elaborate wall hangings and useless weapons, staring out from behind the thrones, was the Great Mor’du. Peasants or youths were greatly impressed and drawn to the defeated bear. Merida remembered the red eyed monster, the large mass of muscle and black fur, the scent of death on its breath. She shuddered. Her dad was so impressed by his wife and child he got a team of two hundred men to lift the rock from the bear. He paid a hefty price for it to be stuffed and displayed. Who would mess with the royal family after seeing this colossal creature, this demon they felled?

“Merida!” She froze half way through a step, her father came down the stairs with great enthusiasm “My wee princess!”

“Hey dad.” Merida inched closer to the stairs, a big smile forced across her face. “Goodmorning!  Ah was jist gettin' something tae eat quick and ” She tapped her quiver.

“Well that is where we are going as well.” Merida’s mom, the queen Eleanor, floated down the stairs with power and grace, her hands delicately folded in front of her “Let us walk together.”

“I-” Merida let the words die on her lips, they were a lost cause anyhow “would be honored.”

Merida counted down,  _ three, two…  _ “I thought it was a little too convenient that your presence was required at the stables for your escaped horse.”

“Sometimes things happen.” Merida shrugged.

“What amuses me is that it has happened every single day you have music practice.” Her mother cocked a delicate brow, though her voice was forceful there was a glint in her eye “I have requested more guards on the horses on those days.”

Merida just shrugged, guilty “Weel ‘at is a relief because Ah was oh so worried abit th’ state of mah harp skills.”

Her mother had a sly smile “We can fix that today if you would like. I’ll have food brought to the room.”

“No, no no no. NO!” Merida stopped and shook her head “We still have next week an’ th’ rest of mah life tae worry abit  _ that. _ ”

Her father laughed wholeheartedly at the two women “Should we brin’ up the stunnin’ disappearances of th’ deserts? Or perhaps how th’ boys are in  _ four _ places at once?”

“That you have to take up with Harris, Hubert and Hamish.” Merida stuck her chin out and smirked “Ah don’t know how th’ wee devils do it either.”

“Where were you off to girl? Not the forest” Her father leaned in red face close to hers like they were passing a secret “Theres a monster out there!” Merida giggled and her mother scoffed. “Sheep have gone missing” 

“Aye, Ah heard th’ beastie swooped down an’ took it reit out from under his sleeping nose. Although Ah dinna know a wolf could grow wings fly.” Merida joked.

Something obviously came to her father’s mind and he spoke quietly to her “say that skinny little shepherd always making the eyes at you, you could probably get more information out of him.

“Why would she do that? As I recall dear, you had posted extra guards.” His wife walked ahead of him “and not to keep an eye on the sheep, but on a certain boy while in castle grounds.”

Her father Fergus shot a halfhearted glare at his wife “Ah never heard you object women.”

They had reached the kitchen, the three of them came in at once and startled the staff. A cook came stumbling up, preparing a thousand apologies for any possible crime. Her mother held up a hand and smiled softly.

“Don’t look so alarmed. It will be a long day so my daughter and I are getting something to eat quick, some bread for me.” The chief never looked relived and turned to Merida. A hopeful smile on her face, one that said “spare me”.

“Uh, jist an apple.” Merida replied a little more awkwardly.

They left quietly. As in the kitchen didn’t return to work until the royal family were long gone. They were new servants. The ones that had to walk past the “dragon inflicted” fields didn’t return after holidays. Rumors of a monsters in the woods and fields was spreading like wild fire in the servant’s gossip lines. So her mother had pulled some of the farmers from the fields, compensating for their lost workers, to work until the rumor had lost interest.

“I wish we had our old staff back.” Her mother sighed. In her hands was her bread covered a silk cloth. Merida looked down at her half eaten apple but took another bite since her mother had said nothing about it “This rumor is costly to everyone. Well the return of the Lords might keep them too busy to talk out it!” Merida groaned but Eleanor said “I’m not looking forward to the  _ joy _ they bring to the castle and the posturing they do but I put up with it.”

“Ye don’t have desperate suitors breathing down yer neck mum.” Merida crossed her arms, at this point her mom switched to talking about preparations for their return. Then Merida slipped down an empty hallway. She turned and slipped away around the nearest corner. Her bothers holding one of their strange contraptions between the three of them and Merida stopped to stare at it. They each put a finger to their lips. Merida repeated the gesture and nodded but before they left she whispered to them “Which way is out?”

They pointed in unison down the hall and left without further instruction. Merida ran down the hallway until things look familiar. Once she knew where she was the red head bolted to the stables. Her bow beat rhythmically against her back as she ran. The shepherd boy was surrounded by a ground of people gesturing grandly. When he saw her he waved enthusiastically. Merida stifled a laugh as he was swarmed by a curious crowd. Did they really think he knew her? Angus saw her and bucked and whinnied. She through a saddle on him quickly. The shepherd boy had broken away from the crowd to talk to her. Walking with a self-bloated swagger.

“Ready tae go?” She whispered to Angus as she mounted. A quick kick of her heel and they galloped off. Past the shepherd boy, swerving between the villagers and at last broke free of the castle gates. Angus breathed heavy as his hooves clattered across the stone bridge into the forest. Merida took her bow in hand and reached for an arrow. Her hand closed on empty air “Great Ah forgot th’ arrows Angus!”

She turned the horse sharply, all the speed they built was gone in single a skidding halt. Angus protested and stamped his feet. She sat there contemplating returning and asking for arrows. Though it would be embarrassing to return after her dramatic exit to humbly retrieve them. It was a matter of pride now. Merida pursed her lips and turned her horse back on the trail. She had hundreds of arrows lodged in trees and targets. There must be some still in good condition. 

Merida had a very anti-climactic ride pulling arrows from hollows in trees and from bulls-eyes in the wooden targets strewn about the forest. Her quiver was full of thirty arrows but she had lost her will to shoot any of them. Instead she spurred her horse to a gallop and hurtled over fallen trees and streams. Then when her horse slowed she set her energy on scaling the highest trees she could find. Angus kept an ear on her while he rested. When she satisfied her need for speed and danger Merida started to look for oddities and wisps. A river in the distance drew her attention. Merida regarded the sun and realized it was past midday. She had only an apple that morning and her hunger surfaced after being suppressed for so long. 

She mounted Angus and rode him to a twisted oak in a clearing. The air was warm on her skin. A welcome change from the morning chill. The oak cast a splatter of shadows in the mid-thigh grass. Insects leapt lazily from their perches. Some confused her with their blades of grass and Merida would have to brush the odd insect off her arms or out of her hair. One particularly unlucky bugs got its leg stuck in her tangled red hair. Merida batted the poor fool out of her hair quickly. She reached the oak, which had been split by lighting once long ago. It grew in a V, his branches a mat of snarled confusion. But in the center of its trunk was nestled a bundle of leather. Inside was fire starting supplies and fishing arrows. 

With her new supplies she galloped back to the river. Its beaches were comprised of large deposited rocks from a larger, more ancient river. Each rock shade of grey and darker grey, some of the wet stones sported green and orange-ish moss. A deep pool to her left fed directly into a roaring falls. In the clear water the silver shadows of fish skirted about. Water trickled though the stones on her current side of the river. Merida didn’t like the slippery quality of stone. The last thing she needed was to fall into the river and take a ride down those rapids. She carefully walked Angus across to the other side of the river. He slipped on the large wet stones but he massive horse was still only knee deep in the water. Startled he scrambled ungracefully onto dry land much to the discomfort of his rider. She slapped his neck as she was almost thrown but the horse ignored it and shook its fur dry then tested the bushes for something edible. 

Merida nocked a fishing arrow. Its shaft was longer and sturdier than her other arrows. It was tipped with a doubled pronged head of metal bent in the shape of an “h”. Merida positioned herself on a dry and stable rock that jutted out across the pool. The fish huddled beyond her reached. Merida stayed for a long time but the growling of her stomach forced her to change tactics. She stormed over the trees. A dry brittle leaf hung perilously from a low branch. She snatched the leaf and moved back to the pool. The fish retreated to the bottom of the river. This time Merida kneeled and crumpled the leaf onto the surface of the water. Soon enough the fish hovered up to the surface. Merida, bow drawn, looked carefully. A large fish had foolishly rose to investigate, coming from farther in in the pool. His distance wasn’t going to save him and Merida aimed just below him. A splash and Merida felt a heavy tug on the line attached to the end of the arrow. She pulled her quarry from the pond and onto the shore. Merida cried out in joy. She had hit two fish, both well sized. She deduced that the unlucky second was sneaking up on the first thinking it knew where food was. Not wanting to waste her luck Merida sprinkled another dry leaf on the pond. Once more a foolish fish surfaced and never had a chance to return to the depths of the pool again. Merida beamed holding up her catch to show Angus who was more concerned with something on the wind. He whinnied nervously dancing in his place. 

“Whit are ye doin’ Angus?” Merida walked the third fish to a shallow pool that was cut off from the rest of the river. Her horse bucked and neighed angered. “Ye crazy horse stop that!”

Angus just bucked again and pitched himself across the river landing on the opposite side. He called hoarsely from the trees to her. 

“Git back here!” Merida stomped after him a wind picked up blowing her red hair into her vision. Merida angrily spun and looked into the trees. They whipped back and forth from the sudden gust of air but a bush rocked differently. Let it was a large bush and if something that large moved the bush wouldn’t she have heard it? Was it the monster? Merida shook that thought from her head “Ye stupid girl ‘at is crazy.”

She turned to the river but something stuck her as odd. Why was there only two fish? She had shot three.

Merida turned around again and cried out. “What?!”

She ran to the pool. The water was disturbed, so something had taken the fish. Yet that didn’t alleviated the growing fear in the pit of her stomach. She warily inspected the bush, something had come through here but made a hasty retreat. Her hands trembled and Merida glanced over the bush. There were large tracks from something she had never encountered before. The tracks had scuffed the dirt and one looked like the mark from a tail dragged across the ground to a tree. Merida’s blood went cold because those tracks ended at the tree right above her. Moving her eyes from the base of the tree slowly to the top. She notched one of her normal arrows, even slower as to not alert whatever hid above her. Merida tried desperately to rationalize the situation. She had just misinterpreted the tracks. The boys were playing a prank on her. Then the dark part of her mind spoke up. It was a bear. It was bandits. It was a blood thirsty murderer. Some monster from hell itself. Yet no matter how much she prepared for the worst it wasn’t half as horrible as what she saw.

A black creature crouched in the tree like a giant cat. It growled at her and white spikes glinted in the red gums of its massive mouth. The monster was covered in black scales and huge wings were curled along its sides. There was something strapped on the beast’s back but what caught Merida attention was the eyes. They sucked the breath from her lung and stopped her heart cold. The pupils where thin black slits in a striking green. They were big, very big and looked like a cat. The creature shifted and Merida screamed and loosed her arrow but she slipped on a wet mossy stone and the arrow missed. Her red curls flew into her face as she fell. Disoriented Merida scrambled back. Stones shifted and rolled under her frantic movements and her feet got twisted in her skirts. She moved less than a foot when her hand slipped on the sharp edge of a rock. Merida sucked in her breath and examined the hand. It wasn’t bleeding but hurt. The creature seemed startled by her cut hand. Merida wondered why it hadn’t attack yet. Some animals never attacked until their prey had fled. Was it that cruel or had she really not moved that far? 

Unable to run Merida fumbled with her bow. Whatever stopped it from attacking before was gone from the monster’s mind. The beast slithered to the ground. An odd sound was building in the back of its throat, like it was gathering something there. Merida sharply inhaled when she realized what it was: a dragon. Even worse it was going to breathe fire. She pulled the arrow back her heart going a thousand beats a minute when something else same crashing through the trees screaming at them. Merida turned to the sound when she heard the  _ twang _ of an arrow. Merida didn’t have time to even realize that it was her arrow when the dragon was on top of her. Its eyes filled with a rage that shook her to her core. It roared in her face and she screamed. No matter how she fought it only pinned her more painfully between the stones. She could feel the water seep into her dress and hair. The dragon stop roaring and a ringing sound left over in Merida’s ears was just as loud. Merida noticed that her eyes were closed. She opened them and saw death. A green gas swirled in the dragon’s mouth. The seconds were drawn out agonizingly long. Then there was yelling in another language. It was the same word, high pitched and desperate. 

“Tannlaus! Tannlaus!”

The dragon bounded over to a horrified boy. He look to be about her age and he gaped at the sight of his own blood. Merida dizzily stood and without her say her legs started to move and she was wading across the river. Panting, slipping on stones and not looking back. There was a scream of pain from behind her and Merida choked back a sob. What if he had been coming to help her and she shot him? Then even worse she left the boy at the mercy of the beast. Yet Merida didn’t stop. Angus was dancing in place agitated. White rimmed his wild eyes. She was about to mount when guilt overwhelmed her and she turned back. Angus screamed at her but Merida stayed.

“Ah have to see! Shut up Angus!” The horse’s fur was soaked with sweat but it wouldn’t leave her nor would it be quiet, the boy wasn’t moving and Merida boiled with rage. Angus screamed at her again and Merida turned on him “SHUT UP!”

When she turned back the dragon was looking at her. Its eyes were still wide and the pupils were still thin slits but something was different. It wasn’t rage but worry, worry hinted with accusation. The dragon looked defeated standing over the kid. Then the dragon did something Merida hadn’t expected and licked the boy. The dragon’s mouth opened a crack and its chest shivered. It was calling to him. That is when it registered with Merida. On the dragon’s back was a saddle. She could see the leather seat clearly and on the boy it looked like he was wearing a harness of some sort. At that point Merida knew that the boy was his rider. That knowledge alone almost made her want to leave him there to bleed out or get an infection and lose the arm. Her arrows weren’t exactly clean. Yet the tenderness of the dragon’s actions struck her. Also why did the boy come running? It couldn’t have been to order an attack because his dragon was doing that anyway. What really got her was, what if he died? The dragon was furious that she shot him. If the boy died the dragon might seek revenge. They did that in stories and dragons were only supposed to be stories, legends. Yet Merida had learned her lesson about legends. Anyway if she helped him, saved him, he would be indebted to her. That would solved the mad dragon problem. Merida moved toward the dragon which spun around to face her. Its contracted contracted at the sight of her. 

Merida held her hands up “Please! Please, I’m sorry”

The dragon growled and backed protectively over the boy.

“I’m-I’m sorry! Please Ah can help!” Merida still held her hands high.

The dragon hissed and wasn’t focused on her but on her quiver. Merida knitted her brow and realized he didn’t trust her with any kind of weapon. 

She unbelted the quiver and set it down “Thaur see? Friend.”

He didn’t stop growling and hissing then gestured with his head for her to ‘get rid of it’. Merida ignoring the rather intelligent motion she kicked the quiver hard and it went flying into the pool.

“Oh no!” Merida cried reaching a hand out for her lost quiver. She turned to the dragon angry “Happy now?”

Apparently he was. His pupils were still in cat like slits but they were wider, more rounded than before. Merida stumbled across the rocks to the boy. The dragon growled quietly, letting her know she had better keep her word. Emerging bruises on his arms and legs were alarming but she was confused with his odd armor and the dragon iconography on the belts. He was missing a leg and in its place was a metal one. She was captivated and horrified by him. Regardless Merida turned him on his side. There she saw the other leather shoulder plate and the arrow. It had gone into his shoulder. Fortunately the shaft was smooth and hadn’t splintered. 

“This is your lucky day isn’t it?” Merida chuckled because that was all she could do.  _ How can I help him? If I remove the arrow he could bleed out. That is assuming I could even get the arrow head out. _

Life had turned against her. Merida realized that she’d have to lift him onto Angus’s back quickly to and start running back to the castle physician if the boy were to survive. The river! The water was calm enough and deep enough so that she’d have to only lift him up a few feet. Merida picked up Hiccup. It was remarkable how light he was but he was dense and she moved slowly under his weight. A large flat stone sat squarely in the sun and there she laid the boy on his side.

“Angus!” Merida got no answer “Angus Ah need you!”

Still the horse coward in the bushes. Merida kept yelling for the horse to come, she glanced back at the brunette. He was still bleeding and his shirt was half red half green. 

“Oh, Angus.” She bounced impatiently and turned to the dragon who was nuzzling the boy he looked at her and then into the forest. The dragon stopped and stared then reluctantly walked away. Looking back at the boy every few steps until it reached the forest and slipped into the bushes. Disappearing like it had never existed. Merida heard splashing from behind her. Angus was focused on the trees but calmer. “Where have you been?”

She positioned him in the deepest part of the pool near the stone. She held her hand firmly on the arrow and sliced the head off. She heard a whimper from the boy when the shaft twisted slightly but he was quiet again. On the saddle with him in front of her Merida maneuvered Angus out of the water carefully. When on solid dirt a sharp kick with her heel sent them flying through the woods. Drops of blood splattered the dirt from the bloodied arrow yet Merida never stayed to watch a single drop fall. She clamped a hand firmly over the wound forcing it into her shoulder she galloped home. His brown hair whipped her face but she drove Angus onward. He knew the way home. Warm red blood oozed though her fingers and Angus was slowing down. She couldn’t blame him she hardly could keep her eyes open. Hadn’t she just spoke with her parents that morning? It felt like that was years ago. Without warning Angus picked up new speed. 

He moved at dizzying speed, breath ragged and eyes wide. Merida had no control over the horse and fearfully held on with one hand on the boy to keep him from falling off and one hand on the saddle to keep her from falling off. Merida spared a glance behind her. Great green eyes, intent green eyes. Her heart froze and she looked forward but they burned through her back to the boy. Up ahead a sight for sore eyes: the bridge. The castle was a top the hill and minutes away. Angus didn’t give up his mad dash, willfully being driven by the dragon. Fatigue was clear in his whole body but his legs pumped powerfully beneath her. Merida heard the boy moan and she noticed how pale he was.

“Almost thaur Angus just a little more.” Her mouth was so dry from fear Merida croaked out the words.

As they neared arrows whizzed at them. Merida screamed but none hit her. Rather they flew over her head at the dragon. Twanging a single note as they lodged themselves into the earth. A building whine like a flute played on an increasingly higher note abruptly cut of as a section of the wall exploded in a dazzling blue light. Wind rushed across the grass in a wave, Angus took the wind head on. It slowed him greatly, he fought though, planting his feet carefully keeping the trio from flying onto their backs. They jolted forward, flying into the horse’s neck. She looked back. The black dragon artfully dodged the arrows, he ran in a large arch curving toward the forest. There was a flash of teeth then he was gone. He disappeared but she could hear him roaring. Anger or grief, she couldn’t place it. 

Angus ran into the court yard as the gates clattered closed behind them. Her horse was caught by a stable hand. Merida and the boy where pulled to the ground on opposite sides. Her arms and legs swung out panicked grasping for the boy; pale faced and limp he fell limp into the crowd. Villagers streamed around pushing over each other to gawk at the boy. Each accounting to the man or women next to them where they were, how they found out. In shades of grey and purple Merida watched the crowd pulse around the boy. They’d swoop in for a touch or look but someone who had already gotten their fair share of touching a looking would drive the crowd back out of “kindness and good will” for the injured. From under the horse she saw the black smith approach with a hot iron. It glowed in an intense yellow light steaming. The crowd opened to allow him in but closed as quickly behind absorbing the smith and his iron into the mass of spectators. A concerned maid gathered two men who hoisted her by the arms and legs into the castle. She didn’t fight, she couldn’t. There was no will left in her body. In the crowd the boy screamed in pain as they carried her away. She passed out but her last thought was about how alike those two were. Dragon and Rider, disappearing from her sight crying out to no one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is old and I have a lot of thoughts about it. Still I hope some people find it entertaining still.


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